04.23.04

          

I really do not know what to say or even how to say it.

Except, perhaps, thank you.

Pat Tillman was well respected around Arizona long before he made a name for himself in the NFL. He was an honor student at Arizona State University and was known for the amount of time he contributed to charity, especially to children.

He had the world on a string and it was gilded with money, popularity, and success.

Then September 11, 2001 happened. Pat took it to heart.

He quit the NFL and he and his brother Kevin joined the Army as "Special Forces" (Rangers) to serve and protect his country and all that he grew up to love and know as freedom.

Pat was killed in action in Afghanistan in a campaign known as "Project Mountain Storm".

May he rest in Peace. May his family know Peace.

May the world find Peace.

[11:15AM PST] [Permalink] []

04.22.04

First of all, a dental update:

I have broken one of the temp teeth (pre-veneer) on my upper right canine. Arrrgh.

If I want to eat anything other than popsicles, I have to put in the plastic "night guard" that the dentist made to protect my temps. I have grown accustomed to eating with it on but the gooey food particles left on it after eating ... well, makes me want to consider anorexia for the remaining 12 days (when my veneers are supposed to be ready).

Meanwhile, on a completely different subject ...

... have you ever read a personal story, an online article, or perhaps even a post on a blog / journal and thought, "Dayum, they are talkin' 'bout me!" Hmmm? I would be lying if I said that I was secure enough with myself to never have felt that way ... but if I know myself well enough that if I thought something was written about me, I would approach the writer with an inquiry.

Confrontational? Not necessarily ... just forthright in my dealings with people. I have learned that you can be diplomatic without being hateful or accusatory. How better to learn about yourself and to grow as an individual than to understand the perceptions other people have of us?

But one of the things I have learned in my 40+ years on this sweet planet Earth is that not everything is about me. I am not the center of the universe. Hell, I am not even the center of my own universe most of the time! Can we all say a collective, "Chaos"?

I cannot help but wonder about human nature as I have grown to understand it.

Why is it that when reading rather obscure sounding words that make non-directed anonymous references ... whatever the subject ... numerous people will identify themselves within the subject. Especially if the subject pertains to negative behavior or actions.

The key words here are "numerous people". However, if you do recognize yourself in someone's writing ... are you being paranoid? Or do you perhaps know you are indeed guilty of the behavior?

And even though it may not be written about you ... what do you do with the thought, the knowledge that it could be you?

Do you get pissed and dismiss the writer? Do you simply ignore it? Or do you step back ... think it through ... and realize that you are not the center of the universe and take the words as stepping stones toward a path of growth and self-discovery?

What I find as most fascinating is that those people who actually do have negative things written about them are either so full of themselves, so oblivious to anything BUT their own universe, or are so dismissive to anyone not in their own self-centered world that they are completely immune to the words of others.

I'm just sayin' ...

[1:20PM PST] [Permalink] []

04.13.04

Oh.My.Gawd.

Ouch! I was in the dental chair for hours and hours as he gave me at least a dozen novacaine shots and proceeded to grind and grind and grind on my teeth.

After he finished his pre-veneer sculpting ... he took a dental cauterizer and proceeded to turn my beautifully healed gums into hamburger! Ooooowweee!

Then he created the "temp" teeth that protect my natural teeth while the six procelain veeners are being created in the lab.

The temp teeth are a real let down. Bad bummer, man. Here I have beautifully white, freshly bleached sparkling bottom teeth and he uses a dull yellow composite to create my upper temps! Arrrrgh. I am so humbled by how truly ugly my upper teeth now look. They are shaped odd, and have a translucent aspect to them that makes the "edges" between the fake temp teeth look dark and stained! Ugh.

I was originally told that the veneers would be ready in less than two weeks. Today I was told three! Oh, the humanity!

Tonight my mouth hurts. Bigtime. Big ... way big gum pain. Lots o' swelling too.

I wish I could go hide for the next twenty-one days!

To further make the dental visit "suck" ... [pun intended] ... there is a bit of a dispute regarding my pre-paid bill and what is owed, etc. I just felt so beat up after the hours in the chair that I did not feel up to discussing it so I simply shook my head and left.

Tomorrow: more drilling.

Huh?

I have to go to the accountant and do the "prepare the tax" dance.

I wonder if she'll numb me out with novacaine .... hmmmm?

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Thank you to those of you who still visit ... who leave a comment now and then ... and hang in there when I take too long between posts. You are indeed appreciated!

[9:15PM PST] [Permalink] []

04.12.04

Well, hello. How the heck are you?

Who am I talking to? Um, I guess to the one or two of you that still visit this journal to read the thoughts, notations and pointless ramblings of a middle age woman living in Phoenix.

So, how about an update on my previous post regarding my current "dental adventures"?

I tried the custom fitted (very expensive) bleaching trays and Nupro Gold Bleaching Gel for three nights and ended up with blistered and bloody gums! Yep. It was a nightmare ... the surgery pain was a walk in the park compared to the pain I experienced as the result of the professional home whitening experience.

Needless to say, I quit that dance without hesitation. Then I began a salt-n-water rinse regimen in an effort to expedite healing.

It took almost a week, but my gums finally healed enough to rethink a bleaching option.

On Saturday, I went to BriteSmile and paid an inordinate amount of money to bleach my teeth. The entire process from walking in to leaving takes over two hours but the bleaching process (under the magic blue light) is three sessions of 20 minutes.

I will admit that all of the appliances they put in your mouth to expose your teeth were uncomfortable and the little TV they place in front of your face had lousy reception ... and the dental chairs made my butt hurt ... but hey that is the price of the pursuit of "beauty". ;-)

Did it work? You betcha! The process brought my teeth to a wonderful white, brite smile!

Tomorrow morning is step two: the prep for porcelain veneers to correct a diastema (a small space between my upper two teeth). The appointment is early ... way early ... and is long. But again, just a step on the way to the smile that I have wanted for so very long.

When it is all done, I promise I will have a photo.

Meanwhile, back in the world of reality ... I just learned last week that I had mail stolen about a month ago. What a nightmare! I think I have all the bases covered to prevent identity theft (through the guidance of the Federal Postal Inspector who wrote the incident report) and one company agreed to back off the $50.00+ in late fees.

You have no idea the plague, locusts and boils I have wished upon the thief that violated my life! :-(

Maybe I should wish that the thief be soaked for days and days in the dental bleaching gel!

[9:30PM PST] [Permalink] []